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Beind' tke 
FulfiUtnent at a 



Promise 






^Written by 
for nis friend 




1 







Copyrighted by Chas. E. Faeth, 1919. 



JAN I2IS20 
g)C!.A56G474 

tic f 

\ 



Of tills edition there have been printed 
forty copies and this book, which is Num- 
ber 3, has been especially printed for My 
Friend, 





li WI' ii ^ 





THE original copy of tliis book was 
written in a letter from Santa Mon- 
ica, California, July 31, 1919, to my good 
friend, because he asked me to do so and 
because there was no better way to spend 
an evening than in thinking of my friends. 
Moreover, at that time he needed the in- 
struction. I have found out since, how- 
ever, that like most tutors, I fall down at 
the point of practical application. I do not 
follow my own teaching, and, though the 
course has not yet been completed I find 
I am even now excelled by my pupil. 

To Good Fellowship, to hearts that are 
true, and to my dear friend, client and 
pupil, I dedicate this vacation effusion. 



<.-.A>-'*^ y^ , 





'0^mmm 





IT is my good fortune to find that the 
chief pleasure in the game of life, which 
is the game of chance, is the welding of the 
golden binding chain of Friendship which 
is kept bright by many happy hours of 
close companionship. 

To show my deep appreciation to those 
who have so greatly contributed to my 
prosperity and happiness, I have had this 
little book put into form and present it 
to my friends with all my heart. 

It is much to my regret that my dear 
friend and tutor has not yet completed the 
instruction of which I was so much in need 
and he so capable of giving; but if I am 
ever graduated, I say to my good friends, 
' ' Beware, — beware ! ' ' 

( . . . could it be possible that he delays 
my diploma because of this anticipation?) 



^^ 



iiU^. 



CMRi57r\ia 



9i9. 



j\m 




I SIT tonight and hear the waves surge 
back and forth on the sandy beach, and 
it makes me think of you, "Old Top" and 
the game you would have me teach. For 
the restless waves with their restless ways 
are like you in a certain game, as they 
flaunt around in their endless plays and 
accomplish just the same. They splutter 
and splash and slip and slide, and come and 
go with the varying tide, and storm some- 
times — if they feel that way — just as you 
in your varying play. So listen, "Old 
Top", what I have to say, as I hear the 
waves in their midnight play. 

Life's one fine gamble from the day we 
utter the first wee sound 'til we shrivel and 
stumble and slip under the ground. For 
it's a chance we take from the very start, 
and it's all a chance 'til the time we depart. 
So, if it's poker or dice, or law or steel, 
let's play the game from the very first deal 
with some set rule or plan or scheme. As 
I write you tonight, let that be our theme. 




^h^ 



Call up the boys ! They will come soon 
enough and gather around for a chance, be 
it law or iron by the pound. Whatever we 
have, they want it I 'm sure. It 's simply a 
question of how strong is the lure. 

Get out the tools! There's a thousand 
ways to take a chance in a thousand plays. 
But don't forget, the result's the same. 
Men have one object in playing the game. 
Profit, Profit, Profit, just one word — 
there's no other reason the thought is ab- 
surd that it's anything else. Yet you hear 
some say that "for pleasure" is the only 
reason they play. Nonsense ! Who ever got 
pleasure from making a loss or being de- 
feated? Think it over "Old Hoss". 

So hand me the cards. Cut, shuffle and 
deal. Let's play a hand and see how we 
feel. Five cards all around, and after 
tliey're out let's take a peep — see what it's 
about. Have we been lucky? How's our 
stock in trade? AVliat's the result from 
the plans we have made? AVbat have you 
in this first play — Nothing? Men often 
start just that way. Nobody opens! They 
mutter and grumble and finger the cards 





»[»^— i^ai^ii— iiMi 



and slip 'em and fumble — all trying to 
figure in some foxy way to hook all the 
others — The same old play. Deal all 
around. Now, how should we move in an 
endeavor our game to improve! Play 
tight, sit steady, don't rock the boat; 
squeeze 'em, pincli 'em, spring at their 
throat. For in poker, as in business, the 
*'rube" that's asleep has but one finish — 
to awake and to weep. So don't take a 
chance ! 'Tis thus that I dope 'em : Have 
aces at least; if not, never open. For 
Jacks, Queens and Kings are things of tlie 
past. If you trifle with "shorts" you sure- 
ly can't last. 

So now, having opened with aces or bet- 
ter, follow the rules right down to the let- 
ter. Don't stand a raise on a pair! 'Tis 
quite foolish and there's nothing to gain by 
acting mulish. Unless with a pair you 
have a hunch you can bluff 'em, then bet 
back, look fierce, stand pat and chunk 'em; 
for in poker, like business, there's a great 
deal of buncombe. You'll get caught some- 
times — they'll see it's a fake, but the best 
of best men make a mistake. Of course 
rank suckers quite often play and make rot- 



mm 



ten calls, and take your money away But 
don't fail to remember if they stay to the 
finish, as the hours pile up their chips will 
diminish. 

Draw one card to ''threes" on a raise. 
I'll admit it's deceit, but you must be de- 
ceptive if in poker you beat. 

Always Taise before drawing to a flush 
or a straight; bet hard after drawing and 
you'll win sure as fate 

pon't be a ''caller"! It's a habit, 'tis 
said, that feeds on the nerve from the purse 
to the head. 

Be aggressive, be active, change your 
play, keep 'em guessing! Your opponents 
will find such a play most distressing. But 
don't be so foolish as a man once I saw 
v/ho continually bet 'gainst a one card 
draw, for before one should do it, I'm here 
to relate, he should be able to beat a full 
flush and straight. 

Play the strength that you have and do 
not depend on some chance weakness in the 
other man's hand. Unless sometimes, per- 
chance, you can read a man's face; he 
might tip off his hand if in a tight place. 




mm 




Look at your hand before it's checked up 
to you and have your mind made what you 
are going to do ! Then do it or don't, just 
as occasion demands (you'll enjoy yourself 
better and play many more hands). 

Don't fiddle the cards; they're just as 
you got 'em! If you hold them still, there'll 
be one on the bottom. If you change them 
around someone might be able to see them 
slip by from over the table. 

Act when your turn comes, for I want 
you to know that there are some men who 
play their hands purposely slow to see 
what the man on their left's going to do, 
and thereby take undue advantage of you. 
Believe me, the game wasn't written that 
way. Those who do it would steal your 
gold teeth any day. 

Don't stall! Please, don't stall! unless 
there's a reason. Don't delay just for fun 
— the play's out of season. There are oth- 
ers you know whose time you are taking 
(as well as your own) and no progress 
making. 

Five cards all 'round; eight men all 
'round; the clock's hands all 'round. Last 



hand, we must go. The waves on the beach 
still surge and still toss. Some of us won 
and some of us lost! The old moon has 
sunk long since to its rest. No more do its 
beams light the waves at their crest, and 
night scurries and hastens far into the 
west. 





0^0mt0mm 



OLD SOL rubs his eyes and awakens to 
say, with a glow from the east, "My 
dear friends, 'tis day!" 

Well, well, what a night! Here I sit all 
alone with my pen in hand and naught to 
atone for the loss of my sleep and the loss 
of my rest. Yes, there is! for there's one 
thing that in this life is best. It's the 
thought of my friends with their various 
ways, their various faults and their various 
plays. 

There sits Gus, Fussy Gus, Princely Gus ! 
May he stay on this earth to be in at the 
very last play. 

There sits Frank ! Nature made him and 
said, with a smile, "I am sure I've accomp- 
lished a task that's worth while." 

There sits Dan, Wily Dan, Foxy Dan, 
Stylish Dan! In this big round world 
there's no other such man. 

There sits Fred of the Steel, and Fred of 
the Ice, — both bully fellows and equally 
nice. A little eccentric and really live 
sports, but both tied for tightness^ (I get 
from reports) 




i^^ 



««■ 



Then there's Charley the Silent, the oily 
magnate, — and you at my left, let me see, 
that makes eight. 

There are others, of course, in my fancy 
tonight. Tim, let's have two tables, some 
chairs — there, that's right. 

Look! there sits the Judge, "P-a-s-s", 
hear him exclaim, *'I can't get a full, I 
don't like the game." 

There sits Ira! Lignum-vitae, Lord Al- 
mighty, Gee, how tighty! Won't play till 
he gets 'em, if he sits up all nighty. 

And there sits Jim, '* Jackson Jim", last 
card Jim, ''Ain't it tough to call when he's 
got 'em and lay down on a bluff!" 

Then there's William, the genteel, cour- 
teous, fair, who handles the cards with dex- 
trous care. But when he chances to bet on 

a fight he's out of his class ! Am I right? 
* 
There's Beau Brummel Cy, of remark- 
able luck, whose first half of his last name 
tells us why we get stuck. 

Then there's George, who looks silly and 
bets you a 'gob', and the Prince of quick 




«■■ 



({uitters, Jimmy de Rob. 

There's Ed, the cigar man, who early did 
learn that the way to get rich was to make 
money burn. 

There's Harry the wise man — as white 
as he's black — who swears off quite often 
but always comes back. 

There are others, of course, but I haven't 
the time to mention each "Bug" and put 
his name into rhyme. 

There are two "Bills", however, when 
presented we pay. They're not tight or not 
close, but discreet let me say. One got his 
eye-teeth cut while out on the range, and 
the other, well he just likes to keep his 
loose change. 

So, good day, Idle Fellows ! Begone idle 
thought ! See of my time what havoc you've 
wrought. How many moments I've wasted 
with thee; as many I'm sure as the sands 
of the sea. 




^^^im^ 



Well, I guess I'll quit. No, I won't ! Yes, 
I will. But there's no other game that 
gives such a thrill. There's something 
about it I can't understand, — why I can't 
tell before hand when I 've got the best 
hand. It's the guess that's exciting in all 
things in life. It's the guess that brings 
pleasure, it's the guess that brings strife. 
iSo, I say, life's a gamble from the first 
joyous sound till we shrivel and stumble 
and slip under the ground. 

So, good day, Bully Fellows, run along, 
don't forget that as long as life lasts I'll 
make you a bet; and when it's all over and 
life's cards lie still, I know kindred souls 
will be seeking a thrill. Stock up on as- 
bestos! There's a chance, don't you know, 
that some of. your lots may be cast down 
below. If such be the case and I'm riding 
high, setting out stars far up in the sky, 
just send me a wireless that the best of all 
men are about to convene in some cavern- 
ous den, and all earthly papers at that time 
will say, "Something happened last night. 
'Tis said, by the way, a star fell with a soul 
hanging on, and St. Peter knows not where 
in Hell it has gone." 



Here then endeth ''Play the Game" as 
written by Chas M. Bush and printed pri- 
vately and hand-illuminated for Chas. E. 
Faeth by The Grafters Publishing Com- 
pany at their Shop which is in Kansas 
City, Missouri, at the close of the year 
Nineteen Hundred and Nineteen. 



/ 








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